Powerful speech on guns

I found it refreshing, but also depressing, to listen to President Obama describe his inability to change the current cycle of meaningless gun-violence alone.

I saw the initial reports of Thursday’s college shootings in Oregon on Google News and immediately told a room full of my co-workers. I was struck by how quickly the initial shock and disbelief was followed by shrugs of acceptance.

My co-workers are decent and sensitive people, but when mass killings become so routine, normal people reach a point where they can no longer be surprised — and eventually no longer are outraged.

That is a sad moment for all of us.

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Obama, in his slow, dispassionate but powerful speech that evening, emphasized that this is not about Democrats or Republicans, or red or blue states — this is about the value of human lives in this, the most developed and powerful nation on Earth.

He also emphasized that he cannot change this culture by presidential decree — he needs the support of the American people and our elected representatives.

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Child advocates across Florida applaud the 2019 Florida Legislature for passing significant laws that aid the fight to prevent human trafficking. Sponsored by Sen. Lauren Book and Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, the law would shine a bright light on the places where these heinous crimes are committed — many of which, sadly, could have been prevented.
This anti-human trafficking bill, HB 851, requires educating the employees of hotels, massage parlors and adult theaters on how to spot the signs of trafficking and common practices. It calls for those employees who see evidence of these crimes to report suspicious activity to the confidential National Human Trafficking Hotline (888-373-7888).
The law also reclassifies strip clubs that employ underage victims who commonly come from the foster care system and overseas, only to become trapped by trafficking rings — as adult theaters. Additionally, the law requires that law enforcement personnel be educated on trafficking to improve enforcement.
Further, it would create a Prostitution Public Database of those convicted of soliciting prostitution in Florida and a fund to support the enforcement through steep fines, and to help the victims.
The bill comes none too soon for would-be victims. The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported 367 cases of human trafficking in Florida in 2018, the third highest in the nation. Sadly, that’s a fraction of the 2,133 calls to the Florida Abuse Hotline reporting trafficking in 2017-2018, a figure that’s up 147 percent over the past four years, according to the Florida Statewide Council on Human Trafficking.
This law, which was the last substantive bill passed by the Legislature in its recent session, is an laudable, aggressive step in attacking some of Florida’s most vile crimes.
Howard M. Talenfeld,
president,
Florida’s Children First,
Fort Lauderdale